International Conference on Water Resources in Africa opened

Xinhua Tunisia December 15 (reporter Liu Shun) Tripoli news: water and agriculture and energy in Africa International Ministerial Conference on the 15th opening in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte, from African countries water resources, agriculture and energy minister, Diouf, FAO Director-General of the United Nations and other international and regional organizations representatives. Libyan General People's Committee of Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Mansouri said in his speech at the opening of the meeting is to occur in most African countries, the water crisis and the increased demand for water, and the impacts of climate change due to drought and desertification, the situation intensified held , the conference will assess the status of water resources in Africa, to discuss investment demand on water resources, improved water resources management, development and utilization of a number of large rivers and water resources in rural areas, in order to achieve the sustainable development of the African continent. Mansouri said that the African continent faces the real challenge is the increased demand for food and the reduction of irrigated area (arable land accounts for only 7%), as well as investment in agriculture continued to decline. The meeting will call for increased investment in the field of food and energy, the African countries to achieve food and energy security, and to determine the investment mechanism to achieve this goal. FAO Director-General Diouf said in his speech, Africa's social and economic sustainable development depends on the development of agriculture, because nearly 70 percent of Africa's population is engaged in agriculture. Given this situation, should do their utmost to improve Africa's agricultural production capacity, as enhanced resistance to climate change in Africa. He pointed out that to achieve this goal we must first rational use of water resources, which is the basic condition for achieving food security. The three-day conference, whose theme is "challenges of climate change." Delegates will focus on water resources in agriculture and increasing demand for energy and climate change in circumstances how rational development and utilization of water resources as well as investment in water projects and other issues. According to reports, the lack of management of water resources is constraining the development of African agriculture is one of the main factors. Africa, 93% of the arable land depend entirely on rainfall for irrigation, only 44% of the renewable water resources utilized. In recent years, African countries have realized that guarantee water security for Africa's economic and social development, the importance of paying attention to the development and rational use of water resources.